Japanese model manufacturer FineMolds is set to release two new 1/48 scale kits depicting the Mitsubishi- and Nakajima-built Zero-sen Model 21, the early production variant that saw action from Pearl Harbor through to the campaigns over the Solomon Islands.
Features
The first kit, “Aircraft Carrier Akagi,” represents an early production Mitsubishi-built Model 21 and is tooled entirely from new moulds. The main wings can be assembled in either folded or extended position, and the canopy frame is provided as a separate part from the clear acrylic sections to simplify painting. The rear fuselage is moulded as a single piece using slide-mould technology, and the kit includes a pitot tube variant that reflects early production aircraft up to the 326th airframe built. Markings depict the Akagi fighter squadron aircraft flown by Major Shigeru Itaya, commander of the fighter escort for the first wave at Pearl Harbor, alongside his wingman, Warrant Officer Iwama.
The second kit, “Solomon Air Force,” represents a Nakajima-built example of the same Model 21 variant. As Mitsubishi had ceased production of the Model 21 by June 1942, most aircraft that took part in Operation I-Go over the Solomons and New Guinea in April 1943 were Nakajima-built. The kit reproduces manufacturer-specific differences between the two production lines, including a sharper propeller spinner and the absence of the protruding mass balance on the ailerons found on Nakajima airframes. As with the Akagi kit, the canopy frame and clear parts are separate pieces, and the rear fuselage is moulded as a single slide-moulded piece. Markings include aircraft that flew from the carriers Junyo and Hiyo, as well as a light grey aircraft of the 202nd Air Group.
Specifications
Both kits are scaled at 1/48 and form part of FineMolds’ Imperial Japanese Army and Navy Aircraft series. The Akagi kit carries JAN code 4536318491057, while the Solomon Air Force kit carries JAN code 4536318491064.
Availability
The 1/48 Zero-sen Model 21 (Mitsubishi-made, early production) “Aircraft Carrier Akagi” is priced at 5,500 yen (approximately SGD 44), with a release date of 24 July 2026. The 1/48 Zero-sen Model 21 (Nakajima-made) “Solomon Air Force” is priced at 5,500 yen (approximately SGD 44), with a release date in August 2026.
